The loudest cheer to ring around George Town Annex wasn’t for a goal, save or appeals for a penalty decision. The most noise was made, unusually, for a substitution. But this wasn’t any old sub coming on to the pitch.

Midway through the second half, with the scores tied at one goal apiece, Swindon Town’s Under 13’s team introduced a special player onto the pitch to face Cayman’s Academy Sports Select Eleven.

While his team mates from the South West of the United Kingdom may have been struggling a little with the Caribbean temperature, 13 year old Sebastian Martinez took it in his small strides.

The youngster, from George Town, last year signed an 18-month professional contract with the English side.

And after impressive displays on British soil he was back on home turf as part of Swindon Town’s tour of Cayman.

In front of a healthy crowd which included Minister for Sport, Mark Scotland and other MLAs, Seb took to the pitch.

Seb’s proud family, and former Jamaican international Fitzroy Simpson who was instrumental in taking the youngster to the UK, were also among the audience.

Maybe it was a little too much to ask the youngster to complete a fairy tale match by nabbing the winner, but he certainly made plenty of fans.

In the first half Swindon’s Tyreke Johnson showed incredible footwork on the left to drag the ball into space before letting fly a curling effort which nestled in the far corner of the Cayman net.

The goal came against the run of play as it was the home team who had started much brighter testing the visiting goalkeeper time and time again.

Soon after taking the lead, the match was back on level terms thanks to a dipping free-kick from Zach Scott.

His effort from the edge of the box had the Swindon keeper stretching but there was little he could do to keep the ball out.

The second half started on a sour note as two of the visiting team suffered serious injuries. The pair needed to be taken by ambulance to George Town hospital after one fractured his wrist and the other suffered ligament damage.

And with Martinez now in the mix on the right wing for the visitors some of the home supporters can be forgiven for switching allegiances.

His every touch was greeted with cheers and after some neat work down the right he was unlucky with a cross-shot that drifted agonisingly over the bar. And so the match finished one all.

Swindon have a chance to make even more new friends when they face a select team from West Bay at the Ed Bush stadium tonight at 6pm and then again back at the Annex on Thursday where they meet a team from Bodden Town.

At half time during Sunday’s game, Sebastian was given a plaque to mark his achievements in the game so far. And after this cameo appearance, it will not be the only award to grace his walls in years 
to come.

Photos by: Paul Kennedy

[nggallery id=252]